3 Reasons Why You Need Buy West Side Story Today!

Steven Spielberg is one of the greats. His filmography is filled with classics, whether it be ‘Jaws’, E.T’, the ‘Indiana Jones’ films or his real world drama films ‘Lincoln’, ‘Bridge of Spies’, ‘Munich’, he almost always delivers. When it was announced that he was directing an adaptation of the classic musical ‘West Wide Story’, which was previously adapted in 1961, I was sceptical. It wasn’t the project I thought he would take, but in Spielberg we trust. The 2021 adaptation of ‘West Side Story’, was an honest masterpiece. Spielberg breathes so much life into the material, creating a truly masterful picture full of life, love and hope. It’s a love story for the ages, and you can clearly see the love that Spielberg has for the material as he makes it into such a great spectacle. So, today in honour of the release of ‘West Side Story’ on DVD, Blu-Ray & 4K UHD, I will be breaking down why you need to pick it up. So, without further ado here are the three reasons why you need to own ‘West Side Story’.

The direction – As mentioned, Spielberg is a modern mast of the craft of filmmaking. Out of the directors from the 1970s and 1980s, Spielberg, Zemeckis and Scorsese are the only 3 to still be putting out quality work. The direction of this film is just amazing. From the acting, which is magnificent, Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler are both great in the film, the costuming, the sets, the cinematography, just everything culminates for one of the most joyous times I have had in the cinema for a very long time. It felt like the films of old, with just tremendous attention to detail and a true legend behind the scenes pulling all the strings. Its both a testament to Spielberg and the team he surrounded himself with.

The music and dance numbers – One thing that people have been asking, are the music and the dance numbers up to scratch? Its safe to say, yes, yes they are. The film’s music and dance numbers are all marvellously crafted, with the cast all doing a fantastic job with both singing and dancing duties. Elgort and Zegler both lead the charge, balancing both their acting, singing and dancing, showcasing that they are both a triple threat. The film showcases these sequences in beautiful wide-angle shots, so that the audience can really immerse themselves in the world. I really admire Spielberg for taking on such a project at his age, but making it feel so lively and energetic. A true testament to his genius.

The characters & actors – As briefly mentioned, the cast are brilliant with Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler standing out as the films leads Tony and Maria. The actors both bring their own take to each of the characters, making them feel fresh and new. I loved their on-screen chemistry as you really buy into their story and romance. The supporting cast are great to, with actors such as: Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Rita Moreno, Brian d’Arcy James and Corey Stoll, all making up the supporting cast. I really loved the way the film populated this world. It was done so in a very effective manner, with the actors all feeling quite grounded, in such a fantastical environment (still stooped in reality). The cast are a definite reason to check this one out. 

All-in-all, ‘West Side Story’ is exactly what a film based on a musical should be. It feels small scaled, yet feels larger than life. Spielberg really knew what he was doing here and I feel bad for ever doubting him. It is an honest masterpiece and is worth checking out. Be sure to head on over to your local Sanity or online, to pick up your copy of ‘West Side Story’ today on DVD, Blu-Ray or 4K UHD. 

Buy West Side Story DVD, Blu-ray & 4K UHD here

Christopher Pattison wrote this blog post for Sanity. See more from Chris here